First thing first; We want to make it perfectly clear that even a single death is a tragedy. Any violent act such as a mass shooting is an incredibly sad event. We, as concealed carriers, carry a firearm because we value life. We don’t ever want a need to arise where our firearm is discharged in self-defense. We don’t ever want to do that, but we are prepared to defend ourselves should the need ever arise.
The coupling of a CDC report on death statistics with an FBI report on mass shootings gives us a look at some pretty sobering numbers regarding the total deaths caused by mass shootings. From the period of 2000 through 2013, mass shootings accounted for a total of 418 deaths; an average of 29.8 deaths per year.
Breitbart points out that during 2010 alone, bicycle deaths numbered in the hundreds. 800 deaths to be exact, and that’s just 2010 alone. They go on to discuss deaths from ‘falling’, which account for some 26,000 deaths in 2010.
Let’s also not forget that murders committed with feet, hands and knives vastly outnumber murders committed with firearms. We also saw a ‘mass shooting’ this year where the perpetrator killed more people with a knife than he did with his firearms, although the media did not mention much of his use of the knife. Take a look: the knives aren’t even on their evidence board:
Again, we have an average of 29.8 deaths per year due to mass shootings.
418 total deaths from mass shootings over a 14-year span.
The New York Times and AP covered this story, but were only discussing a rise in yearly mass shooting incidents. Every other fact is conveniently swept under the carpet. After all, mass shootings really bring the numbers up for the media outlets who continue to bombard their viewers with the names and images of disgusting individuals who perpetrate the crimes.
Our policy at Concealed Nation, however, is to leave the name(s) of the perpetrators out of our articles. They deserve no recognition. It’s what they want, and they aren’t getting it from us.
What are some other problems that we have in America? Drugs and alcohol abuse for example? We don’t have the numbers in front of us, but we are 100% certain that they account for more than 29.8 deaths each year.
Calling out the media is a tough job because they are going to report on the things that get the most viewers and the most reach. A mass shooting with a gun is worse than a mass stabbing, according to them. Is it though? Is the one method of killing more dramatic than the other?
We’ll go out on a limb and say that a knife attack is more dramatic. Guess what stopped that attack? A man with a gun.
The focus needs to shift, and it needs to shift now.
